An umbrella species is a term used to describe an animal that is a key representative of all the species that live in a particular ecosystem. In Australia, Koalas are recognised as a powerful umbrella species due to the large amount of habitat they need to survive and the wide diversity of tree species that are considered Koala habitat. The size and diversity of trees used by Koalas means their habitat overlaps with hundreds of other species, including threatened species, and the other plants that grow under the trees. And most trees Koalas use also form hollows that are essential for dozens of animals including Greater Gliders, Glossy Black Cockatoos, and Swift Parrots. 

Koalas also have a preference to move along rivers and creeks which means aquatic creatures, such as platypus, turtles, yabbies, frogs, and fish are also protected. And many of the forest-types that are considered koala habitat are critically endangered themselves, such as the Cumberland Plain Woodland, Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest, and Shale Sandstone Transition Forest which are all found in the Sydney Basin. 

A perfect illustration of the number of threatened species found in Koala Habitat was when we analysed four years of missing records from Bionet from the Stage 2 Gilead development in Campbelltown last year (a development we are concerned about impacting Koalas). We found 18 other threatened species in the records that were missing when the environmental assessment took place. These species included the Grey-headed Flying-fox, Powerful Owl, Dusky Woodswallow, Swift Parrot, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Brown Treecreeper, Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, Western Blue-tongued Lizard, the Cumberland Plain Land Snail and several threatened plants. Other common species found in the same habitat include Kangaroos, Wallabies, Echidnas, Gliders, Possums, Eagles, Hawkes, Owls, Bats, Lizards, Snakes and Spiders as well as hundreds of native wildflowers. 

A study by Ward in 2020 also found protecting the habitat of umbrella species such as the Koala was the best economic approach to wildlife conservation. Ward found that if the government chose to prioritise addressing all the threats Koalas face it would also benefit 10 other additional threatened species at a cost of $4.6 million a year. This cost-benefit ratio is only second to the Australian Bittern, which would save 15 threatened species found in an entirely different ecosystem, vegetated wetlands, which are also vital to the health of rivers. By taking an approach that prioritises funding for key umbrella species representative of entire ecosystems, the government could maximise the amount of threatened species it saves with available funding by 46%. 

So while of course we love Koalas, we also know that by working to protect Koala habitat we can protect hundreds of other animals and plants that share the same habitat and create the healthy ecosystems we all rely on.